How does the 'Protect computers wizard' perform an installation?

This article gives an overview of the deployment process for Sophos endpoint security software from the central Sophos console.

Applies to the following Sophos product(s) and version(s)

Enterprise Console

There are three distinct phases to deployment:

Creation of a remote scheduled task by the computer running the Sophos Management service.

The Protect Computers wizard will prompt for credentials that are used to authenticate on the remote computer (Administrator or equivalent access). These credentials need to be able to log onto the computer where the Sophos Management Service resides.

The Sophos Management Service (mgntsvc.exe) then connects to the Microsoft Task Scheduler interface on the remote computer.

If the requirements have been met, a task will be created (Sophos_InstTask) set with a command line to use Setup.exe.Note: The specific Setup.exe run can be located in the "Initial Source Location" tab of the AutoUpdate policy applied to the computer's group that is being protected. This path can also be identified in the console under "View" | "Bootstrap Locations...".

The execution of the task on the endpoint computer.

The account specified in the Protect Computers wizard will be used to execute the task immediately.

The task executes Setup.exe located in the distribution point with parameters determined by the options selected in the Protect Computers wizard.

Installation of the Sophos endpoint security software.

Sophos AutoUpdate will install after Setup.exe has started. Once complete it will then fetch the additional required packages by connecting to the Updating policy location.This will always include Sophos Remote Management and Sophos Anti-Virus. Optionally Sophos Client Firewall, Sophos Compliance Agent or Sophos Patch Agent will be downloaded if select during the Protect Computers wizard. If the option for 'Third-Party Security Software Detection' was selected the Sophos Competitor Removal Tool (CRT) will run first.

The packages will install in the following order after Setup.exe has executed: